Who among the following Sikh Gurus laid the foundation of the Khalsa Panth?
- (a)Guru Nanak
- (b)Guru Arjan
- (c)Guru Hargobind
- (d)Guru Gobind Singh
Correct — D, Guru Gobind Singh. The tenth and last human Sikh Guru founded the Khalsa Panth on Baisakhi day in 1699 at Anandpur Sahib, initiating the first Panj Pyare (Five Beloved Ones) and giving the community the five articles of faith (the five Ks) and the names Singh and Kaur. He also ended the line of living Gurus by vesting eternal Guruship in the Guru Granth Sahib.
- (a)Guru Nanak — Guru Nanak was the first Guru and the founder of Sikhism itself (born 1469), but the Khalsa order was instituted almost two centuries later by the tenth Guru.
- (b)Guru Arjan — Guru Arjan, the fifth Guru, compiled the Adi Granth and completed the Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) at Amritsar, and was the first Sikh martyr — but he did not create the Khalsa.
- (c)Guru Hargobind — Guru Hargobind, the sixth Guru, introduced the doctrine of Miri-Piri (temporal and spiritual authority) and militarised the community, wearing two swords — a precursor to, but not the founding of, the Khalsa.
The Khalsa is the collective body of initiated Sikhs created by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. At the Baisakhi gathering at Anandpur Sahib he initiated five volunteers — the Panj Pyare — through the amrit (nectar) ceremony, and prescribed the five Ks: kesh (uncut hair), kangha (comb), kara (steel bracelet), kirpan (dagger) and kachhera (short breeches). The Khalsa transformed the Sikhs into a disciplined saint-soldier community.
The question lists Gurus in roughly chronological order, tempting a guess at an earlier militant Guru such as Hargobind. The reliable anchor is that the Khalsa, the five Ks and the year 1699 all belong to the tenth Guru, Gobind Singh — the same Guru who closed the line of living Gurus.
- Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa on Baisakhi in 1699 at Anandpur Sahib.
- He first initiated the Panj Pyare (Five Beloved Ones) through the amrit ceremony.
- The Khalsa follows the five Ks and adopts the surnames Singh (men) and Kaur (women).
- Guru Gobind Singh declared the Guru Granth Sahib the eternal Guru, ending the line of human Gurus.
- Do not attribute the Khalsa to Guru Hargobind just because he militarised the Sikhs — the Khalsa is Guru Gobind Singh's institution (1699).
- Guru Nanak founded Sikhism; he did not found the Khalsa.
Asked by matching a landmark (Khalsa, Adi Granth, Golden Temple, Miri-Piri) to the Guru responsible, or by dating the Khalsa to 1699.
Consider the following statements about Sikh Gurus: 1. Banda Bahadur was appointed as the military leader of the Sikhs by Guru Tegh Bahadur. 2. Guru Arjun Dev became the Sikh Guru after Guru Ram Das. 3. Guru Arjun Dev gave to Sikhs their own script - Gurumukhi. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 and 3
- (c) 1 and 3
- (d) 1 and 2
Answer(b) 2 and 3 — Banda Bahadur was actually commissioned by Guru Gobind Singh, not Guru Tegh Bahadur.
A UPSC item on the succession and contributions of the Sikh Gurus — the same body of knowledge (which Guru did what) tested here; note it too turns on Guru Gobind Singh's role.
- practice — not a real PYQ
The compilation of the Adi Granth, the Sikh scripture, is associated with which Guru?
- (a)Guru Nanak
- (b)Guru Arjan
- (c)Guru Gobind Singh
- (d)Guru Tegh Bahadur
Answer(b) Guru Arjan — the fifth Guru compiled the Adi Granth in 1604 and installed it at the Harmandir Sahib.
- practice — not a real PYQ
The five volunteers first initiated into the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699 are known as the:
- (a)Panj Pyare
- (b)Nihangs
- (c)Udasis
- (d)Namdharis
Answer(a) Panj Pyare — the 'Five Beloved Ones' who took amrit at Anandpur Sahib.